Spartans on National League Premier Division Podium

DESPITE travelling significantly below full strength a magificient battling team effort from the squad in Tullamore on Saturday, secured National League Premier Division bronze medals for the City of Derry Spartans men and on Sunday the medal haul continued with seven National Masters podium places, highlighted by Danea Herron's new Irish W50 Javelin record of 25m 94cm.

A similar under strength Women's squad did well to finish sixth in their Division 1 Final on Saturday wth Maggie Donnelly's Hammer win their best effort on the day.

The men's Final was a real tense affair as the battle for silver and bronze, behind an impressively strong Clonliffe Harriers squad, went right to the wire with the Spartans, DSD and Menaphians of Wexford locked together for most of the day-long tussle.

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Jason Smyth was a major late loss for the local boys, his problem achilles failing to clear up in time and he wasn't risked. Pajo Hamilton and Colin Roberts would also have been first choices if available but on the day, terrific team spirit and determination was amply demonstrated by the lads on duty for the red vests.

Tom Carey got the bandwagon rolling early winning the opening track event, the 110m Hurdles. In the field Adam McMullan took the Long Jump and Andrew Doyle grabbed an excellent second in the Hammer.

At this early stage and with Jason Smyth's absence not yet common knowledge, the Spartans' tag of dark horses was worrying defending champions Clonliffe and the talk around the Stadium was all about the strength of the the Derry club's challange.

Carey came out again to complete the Hurdles double with a convincing win in the one lapper but from then on Clonliffe were pulling away to their eventual handsome victory and the focus shifted to the three way struggle for team silver and bronze between City of Derry, DSD and Menapians.

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Simon Herron was badly hampered by a foot injury but did well for High Jump third and - off a very short run up - Triple Jump fourth. Dara Furey stood in again for Steeplechaser Colin Roberts and his fourth place was above expectations. He also went in the Walk and Andrew Doyle chipped in with a good third in the Shot as the intensity of the medal battle continued.

Ciaron Craig did well on a borrowed Pole but was way below his best in the Vault and had to juggle almost similtaneous participation in both the Discus and Sprint Relay, a problem also experienced by Rudi Moore, shuttlin between the Javelin and Relay. Mark McGarvey and Daniel Reid were on both Relay squads and Daniel filled in on the 400m flat as the margin between the three contendors remained pencil slim.

Connor Bradley made a very welcome and morale boosting return to the track with a positive 800m run, clocking 1m 55,5s in a blanket finish for fifth. This so easily could have been third or fourth but it was a real shot in the arm for Connor and the team.

JP Williamson found himself in a classy 1500m and the emerging teenager did well for sixth againdt more experienced seniors. Aaron Doherty ran fifth in a tough 5000m and it was then down to the final two events of the 21 event programme, the 56lb Weight Throw and the 400m Relay.

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The exact overall points totals were uncertain,the lowest scoring four event performances could be dropped so something special was needed to seperate the three clubs contesting team silver and bronze.

A sixth place 400m Relay finish wasn't what the red vests wanted with the points totals so close. Both DSD and Menapians finishe in front of the red vests so the 56lb Weight Throw was literally the last chance saloon for the Derry lads. A high place finish was essential and cometh the hour, cometh the man, as Rudi Moore rushed from the 100m to complete his throws.

Technique and strength are essential to the 56lb event and the throwers are are all very big men indeed. A big ask then for the Spartans rugby playing multi eventer who is certainly not small but was dwarfed by his main rivals.

However his technique was excellent and a 6m 5cm effort was good enough for third spot and a very welcome six points and he! was ahead of his key rivals.

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A nail biting final wait for the official results followed. The word was that Clonliffe were clear winners, retaining their Premier Division title but the other medal placings were being double checked. The presentations began with still no confirmation. The Division 1 winners and Premier Women's medallists were presented with their awards and then came the Premier Men's results.

The announcer began from the bottom up, eighth placer to fifth. He paused to indicate that places four, three and two were extremely close and then named City of Derry Spartans as bronze medallists with 97 points, equal with Menapians, but taking the third spot on countback with more individual wins tha the Wexford club. DSD claimed silver on 97.5 points with Clonliffe way ahead on 136.

A great performance by the local Spartans in their first Premier Division season and confirmation that the red vests are right up there with the big boys in Irish athletics across all three athletics disciplines, Track, Road and Cross Country.

Danea Herron led the Spartans medal haul just 24 hours later at Sunday's Masters Championships. Her W50 Irish Javelin record of 25m 94cm was a terrific effort and she claimed a second gold in the Long Jump and silver in the 400m to complete the treble.

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Robert Bigger came home with a M50 double, winning the 400m and finishing runner up over 800m while Jackie McGinley also did the double in the W40 age group claiming 1500m silver and 3000m bronze.

The female Spartans travelled seriously shy of full strength and just about filled out the scoring 15 events as their Division 1 challenge failed to ignite. Hammer thrower Maggie Donnelly was the only winner with a 47m 1cm effort and Anna Barr was third in the Long Jump, the only other top three placer on the day. This pair also posted two fourth places in the Discus and 200m respectively as the squad finished sixth overall in the eight team Final.

Rebecca McLaughlin, Hannah McGowan, Amy McDaid, Jackie McGinley, Grainne Kearns, Stephanie Keys and Danea Herron completed the line up which did well for such a depleted squad.

Next season the target will be to build numbers and quality to mount a serious challange for Division 1 honours.